Rosa Obscura
by Midnight Demonn
Summary: Rae Wyman's just about to graduate from High School.But then these strange dreams start haunting him.What do they mean? Why do they feel like memories of the past?Was he really once Prince Charming and that his Cinderella turned evil and killed him?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hiya people! How are you all? Enjoying ze summer jam yet?**

**And so it seems that I've decided to pen down a Nightworld Fic. This is my firs t Nightworld Fic, of course. I've had this crazy idea ever since I heard that wretched song. I'd love your suggestions and ideas, of course. You don't have to read all the Nightworld series to understand this Fic. Just the basics.**

**TRANSLATION OF THE TITLE: "Rosa Obscura" means "dark rose" in Latin. :)  
**

**FULL SUMMARY: Rae Wyman's just about to graduate from High School. Everything is going exactly the way it should. He's stressed but he's having fun too. But then these strange dreams start haunting him. What do they mean? Why do they feel like memories of the past? Can it be possible that he really was once Prince Charming and that his Cinderella turned evil and killed him? More importantly, why does this nagging feeling tells him that somehow the history is being repeated?**

** So, here goes…**

* * *

**Chapter one: Remembering**

_The drip of water somewhere continued to fall. As each drop fell, he heard it in his head. It pounded in his head as if the sound was being amplified every minute. The cold stone-flagged floor beneath him was incredibly hard. As each minute passed, the shackles around is wrists and ankles seemed to tighten, and his breath came out more and more ragged, more pained. He was all alone, and it hurt. It hurt so much._

_Warmth had left his body. He was still as a statue from some square, crouched in this horrible position for years, it seemed. The time passed slowly, and with it, his sanity also declined. The wounds on his body burned, both internally and externally. The uneven rhythm of his heart beat had slowed down, and he knew that death was near. The stench of blood, earth and urine choked him. His face was stiff with the dried trails of tears he'd shed earlier when he'd found out. He knew his clothing was shredded into ribbons, because he could feel the hard wall and ground under his burnt skin. Every breath he drew was dry and short._

_Her face flashed into his mind for a millionth time. That sweet, lovely face, oh lord, how he'd been crazy for her. But that face had turned savage with time. It had betrayed him. It had sent him to his death, hadn't it? It had reduced him to nothingness, into this miserable animal-like state. He felt the hunger rise in him as he saw her every time, but it was now empty, only a shadow of what he used to feel. It seemed as if he was falling, falling into an abyss and never emerging. Her atrocious deeds flipped through his mind like a movie and he crumbled, bled. His chest ached with it and ultimately he lost the will to live. Someone had warned him that this would happen, but he'd ignored it. It was his own idiocy that shamed him now. He'd been blind, helpless in her cage, always yearning more but receiving nothing. He'd pushed himself to the very limit, but it had killed him. It had separated him from his friends, his family, from everything good he knew in life._

_A sudden, sharp sound cut through the silence of his death hole, and his head lifted slowly. He cringed away from the blaze of white light that flowed into the room as the door swung open with a rusty creak. Squinting, his tired eyes only sought her face, and there was a hitch in his breathing as he saw the familiar petite figure in the doorway. Hurt slashed at his already bleeding soul, and he writhed in agony._

_"Lila…" a moan escaped his parched throat._

_He heard her saunter in the room, her high heels making sharp sounds on the stone. Her hair was a reddish halo around her slender face. It still frustrated him that he could not see her properly, even for the last time. Her bright azure eyes were burning with a strong emotion he didn't know of. Automatically, he looked away, trying to breathe properly. She crouched down beside his head, her pale hand reaching out to stroke him as it had done countless times before. He winced as it touched his bruised skin, but was unable to resist it. God, he wanted that hand to comfort him, that hand which had torn him to a million little pieces by a mere gesture. He really was insane._

_"Such a waste." That beautiful, mesmeric voice told him. The moment that hand touched his forehead, a piercing shockwave sliced through him. His eyes widened, and he uttered a small cry. The effect was dizzyingly sweet, and for a moment, he saw a pinkish haze fill his gaze. Even when the effect receded, his body was tingling. He'd never known why that happened when she touched him, but he liked it._

_He opened his mouth to say something, but she placed a hand over it._

_"I came to talk to you," she said. "About us."_

_He closed his eyes slowly. It was never going to work. He'd seen what she truly was, and no matter how he felt about her, he knew that they didn't fit together. She was stubborn, a fighter, an ice princess. He thrived on the company of his friends, she worked alone. She was never going to…_

_He felt her hand slid across his cheekbone and he opened his eyes, trying to pour hate into them. But with no success. She was the only light in his world. He could not turn away from her no matter how hard he tried. Instead, he wondered why she'd done this to him._

_She'd known his weakest point and had used it against him. And had won._

_"Good-bye, my dear one. I'll miss you." The croon of her voice made him shiver, and he cringed away from her, pasted himself flat against the wall. He knew that tone. He wasn't afraid, but he couldn't believe that she would do it. Her voice was deadly. For once, he saw what she saw when she looked at him._

_Inferior, vermin. Something worse than a diseased pet dog._

_No. She couldn't._

_He wondered why she looked so stunningly beautiful even though her face had on a twisted, ugly expression. Her burgundy had framed her pale face, and those azurite eyes narrowed. Silver appeared at the edges of the blue eyes. She looked so inhuman. Because she wasn't a human at all. Maybe that was why she hated him so much-because he knew what she was. Lila Rhett was a creature of night, a hunter. He was her prey._

_"No." His voice was just a croak due to the long disuse. She was the person he knew. Not some kind of a monster._

_"You were my warrior," Lila said icily, withdrawing her hand so quickly that it was a blur. "My poor, fallen warrior. Too bad they chose you. You see, we aren't allowed to mingle and play with dirty, impure creatures like you, vermin. We're supposed to have our fun. But you proved too intelligent for that." Her voice had no pity. She spat her words in his face._

_"Lila, I-"_

_"No, don't say it. It means nothing to me."_

_Her sentence repeated in his mind, and a little hope that had tried to repair his already shattered soul was killed. He meant nothing._

_"Lila, Please-"_

_And she was in front of him suddenly, her face level with his. If only his hands were free, he could wipe away those stray strands on her lovely face._

_He was lost. He was reduced into nothing. He meant nothing to her._

_"Lila-"_

_She lifted her hand and brought it down hard across his cheek. Her skin contracted with his with a loud smack. His face was slammed into the wall behind him due to the unearthly force. He felt the sharp, sting of her slap and muffled a moan._

_"Don't ever say my name on your filthy tongue!" she screeched. He kept his face pressed against the rough stone, trying to focus. His mind spun, his stomach churned with nausea. He knew that by hitting him, she'd taken half of his face off. Fresh blood trickle down to his neck, and her eyes widened maddeningly. There was a hitch in her breathing._

_The door in behind her opened again, and another figure appeared. This time, it was of a tall, young man whose name he did not know. All he knew that Lila clung to him like an octopus. Green eyes flashed were his face was._

_"Still playing?" the smooth, baritone voice asked silkily._

_"Almost finished," Lila said in a tone he'd never heard her use before. He fought back a shiver that ran in his body and forced himself to look up at the man who'd taken away Lila as if picking a flower. "I wanted to make some things clear."_

_"Well, don't be late. You're going to meet my parents in half an hour. Yours are arriving tomorrow, right?" But she'd said her parents were dead, that she was an orphaned child. She'd lied about everything._

_"Okay," she said. The man left, and her fake, slinky posture crumbled. She faced him, still chained to the wall. "Don't think I like him. I only liked you, which was my mistake. It was something like fate. But fate changes. I know he's going to end up like you, sweetheart. You two are very similar."_

_"You never liked me," he whispered. "It was me who ran after you all over the place like a pet dog."_

_She showed him her teeth. "True, as always. You want to know something? Something I've never confessed to you?"_

_He didn't reply, only stared at her warily._

_"I had a great time with you." Her eyes were somehow warming, feeling with tears. His chest hurt again. He wanted to wipe them away, to huddle her close against him and chase all her sadness away. Idiot. "I'm going to let you go, Anthony. I can't bear this anymore."_

_She scuttled close to him again, this time embracing him. He stiffened, caught off guard. "I'm going to let you go," she breathed._

_And then he saw a flash of silver and a searing, agonizing pain in his chest. She twisted the knife deeper, laughing with glee. He yelled in pain, as a fountain of crimson blood poured out of his wound-_

_"I could've killed you the other way," she said, her face smeared with red. "But I like this mess."_

_Blackness swirled around him and he heard himself cry out her name-_

Something hard came hurling out of no where had hit Rae Wyman's head hard. He cried out, panicking, and rolled over. His legs were bound, he couldn't move himself. A dull pain throbbed in his head where the boot had hit him, and he rubbed it gingerly, cursing.

"Oy," came a voice from the second twin bed across the room.

With the fragments still in his sleepy mind, Rae twisted. He rolled over again, kicking his legs out…and with a thud, found himself rolled up inside the bed sheets like a roll on the carpeted floor. "You were moaning again."

"Ow," he groaned. "Couldn't you find better ways to wake me up, you dumbass?"

Rae's roommate, Luther Lyndon, grinned. He was sprawled upon his army sheets with a heavy text book in his hand. He shot his friend a crooked grin and said very innocently, "Tried everything. Even putting the Neil's wormies inside your bed."

"What?" Rae exclaimed, struggling to find a way out of the sheets which were trying to strangle him. He got to his feet and clambered over his bed, searching for any worms that might've been smeared under him.

"And another way to set you free," his friend said casually, leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on the book. "We have…half an hour before breakfast. You realize what today is?"

What today was…oh, _shit_.

Exam Alert.

Rae was already on his knees, searching through the cluttered pile of notes he'd made. Chemistry was his least favorite subject, and he hadn't even…studied. Now that he came to think of it, he'd spent the last night partying with Jolene Martin and her cousin Waye. Luther had reminded him time and again, but he'd lied that he'd do it during the night. You could study so perfectly all through the night, in such a silence…

Only that he'd fallen asleep in a zombie siesta and hadn't woken up. Instead of straining his poor eyes over the complex chemicals, he'd strained his mind by having a nightmare he'd had ever since he'd turned eighteen six months ago. When he woke up, he usually found himself on the floor, tangled up in his sheets like a shawarma and an upturned night-table, crashed water jug and cluttered pages everywhere. Seriously, high school was a nightmare, especially when you were about to graduate in a matter of months. So, Luther had found a solution to avoid such destruction. Whenever Rae started to twist unnaturally in his dreams, his friend chucked one of his army boots at him. By the look of both the army boots near his bed, it was evident that Luther had tried to wake up Rae before.

"You gonna make it, ace?" Luther drawled from his bed. He carefully turned a page. "Since you're the only guy who actually cares about exams."

"What about you?" Rae shot back. "You're the one who had a nervous breakdown in the middle of the base-ball practice."

Luther raised his sunstone eyes from the book. For the first time, Rae realized that his best friend actually had dark circles under his eyes. He really had been studying. "Two reasons. One, girls go crazy over a studious, genius jock. Two, I want to get inside the Holborn College even if it's the last thing I do."

Luther came from a poor family, and he survived on scholar-ships. His family was in France somewhere, were his English mother and French father worked. It had been Luther's dream to educate himself in England.

Rae, on the other hand, had no parents or relatives alive on this planet anymore. He'd been orphaned at the age of eight, lost his Uncle and Aunt in an air crash, who unfortunately had been the only relatives he'd known. So a couple had taken him in, paying for his education. When he'd turned eighteen, Rae had moved out to share the flat with Luther because it was closer to both the school and college too. Actually, three guys and three girls shared the small flat together. So they paid the bills together, lived like family.

"Well, good luck," Rae retorted in response to Luther's retort. He'd fished out the books he'd been looking for, and tossed them upon his bed. Then, scratching his side, he walked into the bathroom. Quickly, he refreshed himself and showered. The water was warm, comforting. Retreating into bliss provided by a morning shower, he was reminded of the nightmare he'd had before Luther had woken him up.

Again, he saw the cold stone floor, the terrible stench of death and decay. Again, he saw the blurred face of a girl whom he-

Rae shook himself, startled by his own stance. He knew that if started to think about the dream again, he'd probably stay in the shower until the Chemistry exam was over. Jaime would have a heart-attack and Feli would die of shock. Not to mention that Luther and Drew would pound him to death.

As he got out, he grabbed a fluffy white towel to wind around himself. The mirror behind him reflected him perfectly, a tall, lean lad with tumbling dark blonde hair. When he turned to face himself in the steamed up mirror, his blurred face came into view. He rubbed away the steam on its surface. Under his naturally well formed eyebrows, piercing Ceylon sapphire-colored eyes came into view, under darker, thick lashes. A straight nose, high, perfectly shaped cheekbones and a well shaped jaw made up his face. Rae gave his still bleary reflection a half-smile, ruffled his hair and started to brush his teeth.

By the time he emerged outside, Luther had already finished three more stacks of notes. Rae joined him and they worked until they were dizzy and puffy-eyed. The kitchen was stuffed with people when Rae finally emerged outside. Feli Anderson stood at the stove, frying what looked like pancakes. Jaime Winston and Drew Uriah-who looked comfortable in an oxford shirt, slouched at the counter, discussing something that looked serious. Small Iris Kilian paced the den with frowns that could actually win over any Broadway director.

"'Lo." Feli said without turning as Rae slid in a seat. Feli had graduated a year or so ago, and now was a sophomore at some Law college. It was pretty weird that most of the people living in the flat wanted to go for Business or Law only. Drew attended a business college and was planning to move out next month. The rest of them were all in the same year, and attended Fortismere School. Sometimes, living on Fortis Green Road helped.

"Hey humans," Rae said cheerfully. Drew turned an amazed look at him.

"You partied with those Martin couz all night," he exclaimed. "You still up for ze exam? You got _drunk_, man!"

"Yup," Rae smiled back. He knew he shouldn't but it was in his nature. He never tensed for more than an hour. That was why he was called the 'Loopie' of the class.

"Rae, I can't understand any of it," moaned Jaime and shoved the book under his nose. Rae turned to explain it to her, but she kept talking frantically. "I'm so, like, stressed out; I don't know what I'll do…"

"Hit everyone who came in her range if she didn't pass," Drew intoned. "Anyways, good luck, Loopie, Mary Allen and Cookie. I'm off."

"Wait!" Feli turned. "You're taking a bus?"

"Uh-huh," Drew retorted from the hall. "Why, should I take the car?"

"No. It's my turn," Feli said smugly. Rae had no idea what was going on, but it seemed like something. Feli and Drew usually argued over various topics, hurled furniture at each other and then hugged and made up. They'd been best buddies since fifth grade, and as far as Rae knew, Drew had never abandoned his precious Chevy in charge of Feli before even if the two were ballistics.

They heard the door slam as Drew went, and Feli dropped the pancakes she'd made onto a plate on the counter, grabbed the keys and her bag, and followed her friend outside.

"…so, got it?" Rae asked Jaime. She nodded and yawned widely, covering her mouth.

"If I pass, I'll send you to the moon," She promised wearily, rubbing her eyes.

"Send him to Uranus, more like," Luther wadded into the room, squinting at the wall clock. "I've heard the aliens there resemble him more than any human does." He shot a wary look over his shoulder. Rae hit his head with the bottle of syrup. "Is Iris trying to burn the carpet?"

"Really?" Jaime asked, helping herself to the golden pancakes Feli had left on the counter table where they all sat. "Is she that suicidal? Because she'd catch fire too. Hey, maybe the exam might get cancelled that way." She added hopefully.

"I heard that," Iris yelled from the den. "I'm leaving now. I can't wait any longer."

Luther shoved a piece of a pancake inside his mouth, and directly poured the syrup in. He washed it down with a glass of cranberry juice.

"You guys eat like furnaces consume fuel," Jaime commented, wide-eyed. "She's right. Let's go." She swung her bag over her shoulder and slid off the stool. Luther signed and got up too, glancing at the clock.

"Go on. I'll catch you up," Rae told them. "I need a few minutes."

"Sure, lazy bones," Iris said, appearing suddenly in the kitchen. She was small, with thick silky ropes of blond hair and jade-green eyes. Like every time she entered the room, Rae felt himself going goofy. He knew he would give anything to please her, to make her notice him. Apart from her temper, she was a really nice person, a girl of his dreams. Apparently, no one knew that yet.

Rae heard the door close again. He wandered into the cozy little den and looked out of the window, thinking again. He felt weird today, as if…

He didn't know. Telling himself that he really was worried, he finally locked up the flat and started towards the High School, feeling dread roll into the pit of his stomach like heavy stones. He should have…

Studied…

Startled, he shook himself. What was wrong with him today?

Trying to ignore the feeling, he continued to walk towards the school. Some people rushed pass him, some just walked by. Everything had suddenly slowed down, and Rae felt greatly uneasy. It felt as if he was an astral projection or life on this planet was strange. Sometimes it picked up speed, the other time it slowed down to a speed where you just couldn't bear it any more. But for Rae, it had always been the same speed, the same emotions running through his veins over and over again, the same routine. In a simpler sense, he felt Deja-vu most of the time, as if he'd lived like this before. But today, surprisingly enough, he felt different. His eyes scanned over the same hall, the same classes, the same crowd. But it all felt...wrong. Some one was...watching him. Intensely.

"Yo, thinker!"

Starting, Rae turned to find Luther making his way through the crowd. He looked to the breaking point already. Rae almost pitied him-but as the side of his head still ached dully, reminding of the boot flight that morning, Rae felt that pity dissolving into nothingness.

"Almost time." Luther said, and passed him. "Hey, give this to Jaime, will ya?"

He threw a book at him. Rae caught it, turning to see its cover curiously. Hey, wasn't this the book she'd been looking for last night?

"And say thanks to her for her loan!" Luther yelled over his shoulder and disappeared around a , clever, Rae thought. A clever way to squirm out of your early grave. Maybe he should've done this too. It was tiresome to unzip your bag and take out your own bloody text book. Rae absently promised himself that as soon as he graduated, he'd chuck his entire bag in the Grand Bonfire his friends were planning. Yeah, that might actually save some fuel. Ben Ashton did it last year and told the younger students that it had given him a rare kind of ecstasy.

As the bell finally rang, Rae cast a last look behind him and trooped into the Examination Cell.

* * *

**This is it for now. Do tell me what you think of it. I know the start was somewhat bumpy and it's a wee bit confusing but I swear this will get interesting. So...**

**Review please.:)**

!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Evening all…**

**I know you're all angry that I haven't updated this story for, like, months. Yes, yes, I deserve to be imprisoned in a cellar with only rats and screeching Opera to keep me company. Hey, I was busy, not dead. Yeah. Hello. I'm alive.**

**Ooh-Kay. Where to begin? Yes, loads of thanks to all the people who reviewed my story. I'm not gonna abandon you guys again:**

**I wasn't done with this fic. I was just fixing my brain 'cause it tends to slow up sometimes and that's when I usually get a writer's block. Bummer. **

**DISCLAIMER: As once a wonderful author said, "All characters and/or clan names you recognise are the property of the wonderful LJS; all else was whipped up by me. I offer no guarantees as to the sanity of the characters, or indeed, myself. And as the Jackson Five taught us, all blame lies with the boogie. And me. But mostly the boogie…****"**

**-….-**

**Chapter Two**

She'd been informed that it would start like this.

She was consumed by fire. The snares crept up her body, thick and jagged in her imprisonment. She'd been warned.

The pain made her want to go back to sleep once more, curl around her shivering body in a cocoon.

It hurt.

::-.-::

Maeve Marchantia looked worriedly out of the window. The rain pelted the window fiercely, hazing her view of the vale. Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the roiling grey clouds above like a thick blanket. Wind howled against the walls of the grand manor like an angry wraith resoluted on revenge. For a moment, she could almost see the stables built on the side of the hill, through the sheets of rain and she fidgeted.

The storm was getting worse and Kieran was still out there.

Alone.

_Oh stop it, _she thought, scolding herself as she gazed desperately for him to return. _He'll be fine. He has roof over his head. He is not going to…_

Oh, what if the lightning struck the stables and it caught fire? What would Kieran do if he got trapped in there? She knew she was letting her imagination running away again, but they did live on a hill. She'd lived here all her life and she had seen the lightning bolt out of the sky and hit the ground with tremendous force. She was scared for him.

How could she not be? He was the only one she had left in this awful, dark world. Ever since her parents and sister had died in a landslide, she'd been alone in this cold house. She'd drifted through the rooms like a lost ghost, as time had gone by with only dust to remind her of what she'd once been. Of what once she had. She'd turned into herself, building the walls around her so high that no one, even if they tried wouldn't ever get in. The experience had been horrendous, so dark that she wished she'd never go in there. The dark fortress had claimed her, made her into something dark herself. Something no human could ever comprehend.

Then he'd come.

Maeve had been standing near the gushing river, as still as a statue. The river was located in the vale, away from the village she lived in. She'd been watching the bright water run down the rocky path, cascade down the mountain in a rush, reflecting the sun so that the white had split into a coalesced halo. She'd been too mesmerized it in to notice that she'd been standing too close to the edge.

As always, he'd come straight to rescue her.

"Hey!" he'd yelled, his dark-chocolate voice echoing back from the majestic mount. She'd flinched, startled, and had started to turn. Her foot had slipped on the slippery boulder and before she'd known it, she'd been claimed by the rushing deep blue waters.

What she now remembered was that she'd begun to scream the moment she'd hit the waters. At that time, she hadn't felt anything except the glacial water seeping through her dress, making it heavy and pulling her down. She hadn't known how to swim.

And she'd been swept away by the river. She'd managed to avoid all the huge boulders that might've crushed her instantly into mush. Her body had ached as if she'd been attempted to be eviscerated alive. Her lungs had seemed to be on fire and she hadn't dared to breathe. Blackness-a vile, dangerous abyss had envelope around her like crow's wings and she'd known that she was going to die.

But she'd been proven wrong.

The death had been too far away. Inside, still gripped by pain, she'd continued to pummel down, slamming into rocks. The world had been a blaze of black and red agony. She hadn't been able to breathe.

Maeve had never been so frightened in her life.

And then, miraculously, a strong arm had wrapped around her waist. Swung her out of her watery grave. She didn't remember how it felt to be on the ground once again. She didn't remember herself choke-and then break down into sobs against him. That she'd cried more than she'd cried at the loss of her deceased family. She didn't remember him checking her injuries. She couldn't recall whether he'd asked her if she was okay. It was he who'd told her later. She didn't remember him doing anything at all, except looking at her with those wide, dazzled eyes. His eyes were swirls of astounding green and grey, like emeralds and diamonds garnished into orbs together. His auburn hair had been mussed by the spray of the river and chase, and he'd looked a bit rumpled, but otherwise, okay.

Maeve would never forget that day.

She'd found out that he lived not far from her. He resided in a cottage just over the hill with his family. He was only eighteen, and had been bestowed upon the responsibility of looking after his five younger siblings. His father had died while fishing for salmon in the very same river Maeve had fallen into.

Then, her life had dramatically changed.

Turned from the morose greyness into a brilliant spectrum of colours.

Kieran had become the centre of her little world. He was somewhat shy around her and she knew he'd never come meet her b himself, even when she'd told him where she lived. So Maeve had trudged down to the river by herself when she'd gotten better. And just as she'd expected, he'd been right there, fishing. At first he hadn't noticed that she was walking up to him. She'd stopped, gazing at him for a moment or two. She liked the way he concentrated on his task.

And then he'd lifted his head, as if sensing her finally.

Oh, those were the happy memories. As she tried to concentrate on them, her fear resided completely. Sighing, she sat back on the window seat and wiped at the fogged glass of the window.

Kieran would be alright.

He was down to the stables after all. Not near the gorging and gurgling monster that was the river. He would be dry too. The horses would keep him company and warmth.

She should stop worrying. Really.

Hesitating, Maeve pulled back from the window and pootled down the stairway. She was wearing a long white dress and draped in a trailing cerulean silk shawl. Kieran had planned to take her to the village where they'd be married. There was no alternate way either. She didn't mind at all. She could barely contain her excitement now that the fear had dissolved.

As soon as the rain would stop…

Maeve smiled dreamily. For the first time in three years, she felt contentment. She had someone who would always be there for her, would always be with her along every step of the way. Someone she could rely on forever. Someone who knew her like any soulmate would. Maeve sighed at that again, twirling her slender body in front of a full-length intricate mirror. The flickering candle lights caught the glitter of sapphires strung into a necklace around her throat. She thumbed it, smiling softly. He'd gifted it to her last night. She couldn't even begin to imagine the delight filling in his beautiful eyes when he'd see her. She anticipated the moment.

Thunder rolled, making the glass in the gigantic windows rattle. Storm raged outside. Hailstones hit the manor like boulders now. Eyes wide, Maeve turned away from her reflection and sprinted over to the nearest window, nearly tripping over her dress.

_Kieran_!

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Panic poured into her when she couldn't see anything at all through the blend of hail and rain.

Oh God…there was something bright flickering and wavering in the distance. Something flaring. Something…the fire…

Thoughts muddling into sensing gibbering in her head, she tripped towards the huge heavy doors.

Kieran was in trouble…

Her fingers slipping on the brass locks and handles, she hastily opened the doors. The outside world greeted her with full force. The doors banged into the walls as the storm ripped at her hair and clothes, making her stumble. Rain and hail, alike, pummelled at her as she forced herself to run down to the stables.

The burning stables.

It was on fire.

Maeve screamed, feeling the stabs of pain in her heart as if icicles had formed there. She managed a few more steps before her knees buckled and she felt herself falling…

_Kieran_…

Then everything blacked out for a moment.

When the world flickered back to life, she was staring at his dead, charred face. Her Kieran, once so handsome…Maeve felt more screams erupting from within her and she didn't try to restrain them. In front of her, the stables continued to burn, even this storm couldn't match the thick, acrid black smoke. Greasy, oily fire licked at the wood, extending to the length of the building. She watched, in her dazed state and stupor, that the doors to the stables had been flung open.

That meant her sweet, noble Kieran had saved the animals before he could save himself. He'd…he'd…

Kieran was alive. Yet.

He was looking up at her with half-opened eyes, pained eyes. She fell near his face.

"Kieran…," she sobbed. "Why?"

He closed his eyes, as if they tired him. She held him close, stroking away the burnt, melted hair away from his charred face. Even if everything had been destroyed about him, his eyes remained the same emerald-diamond ones. Her tears hit his flesh and he groaned, a very, very faint sound.

"Don't," she heard him whisper. "Soul…forever…" He could speak no more. Understanding what he meant, Maeve nodded. He smiled softly.

Even if they were apart, they would always be together.

Always.

And that was why it hurt so bad.

Clutching him to her chest, she wailed and screamed in pain as he died in her arms. It worsened because no one could hear her. She was alone here, in her thorny world, surrounded by nothing but this. She was back in the abyss. The shadows welcomed her, dragging her in. Swallowing her whole. Everything was a nightmare. She had to wake up. She had to…wake…up…

::-.-::

This time, when her eyes opened in her dark tomb, she knew. She flung away the remains of her nightmare, her worst memory until her mind was clear and she could sense everything. Every aura radiated by the living things. Until the blackness was dissolved into bright colours.

He was alive.

He was waiting.

For her.

::-.-::

**One word for you guys: Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello people!**

**Firstly, my heartfelt thanks to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their faves:**

**Nightgirl25, devil3328, OMG, Paranormalcy and last but not the least, Unnamed for Eons.**

** You guys made my day. **

**Secondly, the old DISCLAIMER****: Any characters / clan-names you ****recognise**** from the books belong to LJ Smith. All else is created by the strange beast that is my imagination.**

**Yeah, there are some original people who're gonna make a guest appearance in this fic soon-you'll recognize them immediately.

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**

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**Chapter Three****: Down the memory lane**

"I can't believe you did that."

"Well, I can't believe you don't believe me, Drew. I mean, is it _my_ fault that your car got dented? That guy was _drunk_!"

"Drunk in broad daylight? I don't care even if he was blind! Felicity, where were _you_ looking?"

"At the road. Besides, it makes no difference-"

"Then you need glasses, woman! That car was bloody expensive!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"Sorry's not gonna get it fixed! You know I can't afford to get it back into shape right now! That car's mangled, looks like it's been through hell and you say that it's just plain dented!"

"I lost control-"

"Lost _control_? Dammit-"

Rae groaned, loudly enough to make the two of them stop arguing. They looked up at him sheepishly, where he slouched, more like sprawled at the kitchen counter with obvious discomfiture.

"Guys, if you want to get to get to the level when only bats will hear you, get a room," he said tartly. His head was cushioned on his arms. He yawned. "You'll make my head explode."

Feli turned away from Drew and slumped on the chair next to Rae's leg. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make this besotted idiot realize that it wasn't my fault-"

And they started their bickering again. Rae sighed and closed his eyes, but his taut muscles refused to relax. He hadn't been able to get much sleep after the last exam and now he was suffering. The Graduation Ceremony was approaching fast and he was worried that he'd sleep through it if he continued to be like this. His mind felt completely fried internally. First Iris and Jaime, now these two. He wondered what had gotten into them. Maybe it was the suspicious looking donut Luther had shared with everyone before lunch. It definitely looked weird, not to mention, tasted like sawdust.

He'd gone through the whole day listening to his friends' quarrels. The experience was exhausting. It usually tended to be, especially when he didn't like to be dragged into their problems. The reason was that his friends fought wars instead of having little fights-and those wars were deadly. Deadly meaning if you wanted to make them stop, you'd end up with a bunch of broken ribs, cracked pelvis, bruised limbs and of course, punctured spleen. In simpler words, you'd get to know how it feels to jump in a human blender. It had happened to Rae countless of times before.

It was because the strange people who dwelled in this apartment always sought for his justice. Like they would really do what he pleaded them to do on an ordinary day. Fat chance. But hey, the one who stayed out of trouble most always got to be the one buried deepest in it. The world strived on tough rules.

As Rae drifted into the thin veils of dream, he sighed. He could still dimly hear Feli and Drew having a yelling contest. Didn't they ever grow tired? Nah. They both knew each other so well that they completed each other's sentences even when they hurled furniture at each other. They mirrored each other's moves perfectly. Like how Drew was snarling at Feli, and how she stood straight, squared her shoulders and lifted up her chin in response, which in turn only made Drew angrier. Irony inhabited this house like a mad ghost.

Their silhouettes grew hazier and dimmer. The din faded.

The darkness coalesced into a shimmering band of light. He watched, fascinated, as it slowly took form. The band divided into ribbons, spiraling and curving until they look form of a girl.

She glowed, the gold rays surrounding her like petals of a flower opening. It was beautiful.

She was…beautiful.

No, beyond beautiful. Something he could never put into words. Rae felt his heart stop momentarily, then resuming erratically. His eyes were wide, and he didn't mean to stare, but he couldn't help it. He gulped.

Now her long, long ethereal hair was untangling from a soft bun on her head, falling past her waist into a glittering cascade. Silvery strands floated around her face as if she was underwater.

_Delicate_, he could only describe her in that word. His heart stumbled over a couple of beats again. He swallowed.

Then something struck him. Something like a lightning bolt-something so intense that his breath got caught in his throat. Something that seemed to go on beyond the Beginning of Time, something older than the stars themselves, maybe.

Recognition.

The light pulsed around them both, as they stared at each other.

"I know you," Rae managed to breathe. "I-" Yes, he knew her, but from where? He knew she mattered to him, that she was something-someone he once…

He once…

It was gone.

That silver thread of recognition that had hit him had vanished as soon as it had come. The girl tilted her head, watching him with those wide, amethyst soulful eyes. They flashed with something-pity, maybe. Did she know him? Where had he seen her before? Rae was positive that if he'd ever seen her somewhere on the street, he'd never forget her. She didn't deserve to be forgotten.

"You're mine."

Those two words were a whisper, yet they flowed to him like a song-a symphony. She smiled slightly at him, her slender hands knotted in front of her gauzy white gown. Her pale shoulders were obscured by her straight flaxen hair.

"How?" Rae asked.

At first, she didn't seem to understand. Then comprehension dawned upon her unearthly face, and she lifted up her hands to him, as if she was separated from him by a thick glass wall.

"You always were." Her sweet, melodious voice made him shiver. Then she moved, gliding across the space towards him. Gentle breeze caressed their hair and clothes and he thought that he'd never felt the breeze against his skin like it before. It seemed as if water was flowing down his body, cool and pure, yet he was dry.

The tips of their fingers touched, and golden light pulsed brighter, like a trapped sun between their hands. Like a candle's flame, but only much more alive. Much more warm. Something else.

A delicious warm sensation zinged down Rae's spine, and then he was connected to her.

His mind connected with her's, like two drops of water merging into one.

The impact left him breathless.

The cold chilled him until he thought he wouldn't be able to move at all, forever gripping the girl's hands in his own. Still his thoughts spun, faster and faster, splattered with a tornado of emotions, as the blazing winds lanced across his skin, yet seeming to pass _through_ him which wasn't possible at all-

He could see her in a way he hadn't before.

Now, instead of standing in the glowing roiling clouds of light, they had been zapped to a beach-at least it looked like a beach. A crystalline sky, coloured into a pale blue, hung above their heads like an over-turned bowl. And around him...a beach. The sand on this beach was dozens of tiny crystals, not golden, but flawless icy-grey, like miniscule chips of steel. The sea was black, immeasurable enough to hold one of the sea monsters of legend, yet shallow enough for a two-year old to walk through safely. It was bizarre.

_Where am I? _His thoughts were muddled, but this one was clear. Rae still hung onto the girl's hands, gripping them tightly in his much larger ones. He was clammy all over; his lungs had seemed to have shrunken from the experience. His head swam, dizzying him, and he felt somewhat numb.

Shaking, he tried to let go of her hands, but her fingers tightened their grip on his, inhumanly strong. She wouldn't let go.

_Our heaven. _Her voice was now inside his head. His eyes went wide. How…?

Before he could complete that sentence, she continued, _where I met you for the first time. Do you not remember?_

He shook his head, feeling his body trembling slightly. It wasn't from the cold.

Curlicues of mist drifted past their feet.

"Where…where is…this?" he managed to get it out finally, still badly shaken. "Is this a dream?"

The girl sighed, dropping his hands. She turned away for a moment, as if gathering herself, her courage. He watched her, and their eccentric surroundings. Their clothes moved with the wind, and the ocean rolled on, endless.

_A zephyr. _She whispered. _We once lived a very common tale, but now it is merely untold, hidden within the depths of history. Do you not remember?_

She was shivering.

"I'm-I'm sorry," Rae said quietly. "I…"

She twirled around then, and clasped his hands in her own once again. The beach dissolved around them, like a beautiful painting being destroyed by vendors. The colours, blending into each other, rolled down, dissolving into nothingness.

This time, when Rae opened his eyes, his surroundings had completely changed. They stood at the edge of a garden; where a very pretty girl dressed in rags sat near a wishing well, obviously crying. The girl had to be no older than ten years old.

_This was me. _The older girl beside him looked at the lithe form sadly. _Once._

_Oh, _Rae thought. _You're beautiful._

To his surprise, she smiled, entwining her fingers with his again, and for a moment, just held on, as the little girl in front of them cried.

_Why is she crying? _He didn't know how she was showing him this, but he felt sorry for the child. Someone had clearly beaten her up-she wasn't wearing the world's prettiest clothes exactly. Her pale hair tumbled over her shoulders, down her waist. Mud was smeared at the hem of her azure gown.

_Because this is just a memory. _The older girl sighed. _Something…gone for ever._

The scene dissolved around them once again.

Now they were looking at an early adolescent version of her. She was busy scrubbing the stained glass panes, long tendrils of her hair descending from the messy bun behind her head.

Rae watched how determined she seemed to be, more than the one by his side. Full of life. A thirst for adventure, yet had never left her cage. A thirst for everything, yet had nothing. An orphan, hardworking and sure-footed in the wallows of suspicious society.

_How can this be a memory? _Rae wondered.

_This is your dream, _she answered. _And you can dream the past, Raymond Wyman, like you always did._

Too stunned to comment, he just watched as the trumpets blared all around them. He watched as the knights-in their shining armour-gallop by. Now that he noticed it, he realized that they were standing below a very majestic, very breath-taking Romanesque Castle. Tall pillars supported the front of the floors, designed with delicate, yet fierce symbolic beauty. It was pretty clear that these guys were a warrior race, they way they guarded the place and everything. Gargoyles were perched upon the towers, massive and intimidating, their leathery wings unfurled and stretched. The place resembled like the ruins of ancient castles and palaces Rae had seen in the country side of England, but this was something different still. Rivers gushed from both its sides; lush green meadows stretched on for ever like thousands of green carpets to the limits of his vision.

"Wow," he said aloud.

He could make out the dim outlines of the town in the misty landscape. The sun was just setting in the west-behind the mountains. A sudden gust of cold wind came, rustling the leaves in the pine trees above them. Rae shivered, drawing his jacket close around himself, wondering whether he should offer it to the girl. She didn't look cold. She just looked a bit lost, nostalgic.

There was nothing peaceful about this place. In fact, he had a feeling…a feeling that something very awful was going to happen. There was always calm before calamity, and the atmosphere seemed charged, almost sizzling with-

_Look, _she said in his mind again, pointing a slender finger to the knights galloping across the valley, their swords glimmering at their weapon belts as they rode their fine horses. Leading them was a lone man, his cape billowing behind him like a richly decorated flag. The sun caught his sandy, curling hair, and a gold circlet glittered on top of his head-

Rae stared.

As he watched now, the king led his army towards the next vale, his sword drawn and a fierce determination etched upon his blurred face. The girl pulled him along so they could glimpse the formation of troops of what looked like thirty-thousand soldiers-knights. The Bachelor knights rode behind their leaders, the expressions mirroring the king's.

From the other side of the vale was merging the enemy, all dressed in black and silver. Like the fair-haired king, the other army also had their own king on the front whom Rae recognised easily, even through all the dust and debris in the air. He was wearing the most exclusive, most qualified armour. His weaponry was just as splendid. Rae spotted a couple of sapphires glinting at the hilt of his sword-then wondered how he could see such a small detail from such a great distance.

_Because you lived through it, _the girl told him, startling him.

_Who am I? _Rae asked silently, his heart thudding in his ears.

This could not be real. It was impossible. He was just an ordinary boy, but no parents. He wasn't into history, and he had no idea how he could have imagined this…this fantasy. It was too far-fetched to come from his mind. He must be sick.

_Luther's donuts. _Oh, his best mate was going to get it now. Those donuts had not only unsettled the peace equilibrium of their joint apartments, but had also made Rae go bonkers.

As he was realizing this, he observed that the war scene was rapidly fading from him. The girl vanished from him, taking everything else along with her until he was left in the blackness of a timeless abyss.

Panicking, Rae whipped around, trying to see, to feel anything. But he was trapped, it seemed. This darkness was suffocating him, scaring him. There was no rational explanation for this.

_Just a dream. Just a dream, _he began to chant. He tried using his voice, but it seemed like he no longer possessed the ability to speak. This thought-this very observation sounded utterly ridiculous. Of course it wasn't true-

The darkness melted away.

This time, he was facing a slender, pale face, too beautiful to be human.

Lila.

Again.

He was back in his prison, tied up against the wall. Again, he felt the burning chains binding him, the weakness possessing him. The devastation merged into his soul, until he felt he could never be happy again. The betrayal was still heavy in his chest, like a black stone embedded right in the centre of his heart.

Oh God.

Not again.

He was flung to the depths of the nightmare. His screams of agony resonated within his head as well as they echoed around the surroundings, as Lila twisted that ugly, blunt knife into his heart, the cold gleam in her wrathful eyes-

Rae bolted up from the cold counter in the kitchen, gasping.

Rolled, and fell with a loud thump on the cold floor.

Oh God. Oh God. He was panting, sweat glistening on his temples. Shakily, he rolled himself into a sitting position, running his hands over his face, then his damp hair. The coolness of the floor under his burning cheek helped a bit to steady his wildly palpitating heart.

That had been a bad one.

A really bad one. He needed to lay off the Oreos and Luther's donuts for a while or he'd go to the looney bin before he would even _spell_ looney. Okay. Deep breath. Calm. Calm. He was awake now. That was one wacky, vivid nightmare. Phew. Okay.

Too bad Luther hadn't been around to chuck his army boots at Rae to wake him up this time. It would've really saved him from this. But Luther was out somewhere with the girls that evening.

Still suffering with the aftermath, Rae heaved himself up from the floor. Steadying himself with the counter, he staggered to the sink and filled a glass with ice-cold water. Closing his eyes, Rae gulped down the water. Never had the water tasted so heavenly to him-he sighed through his nose.

Sometimes, he hated his imagination. It really freaked him out. Really? Could a girl be that beautiful? He wondered this silently, putting the glass down. The dream was returning to him, in bits and pieces. It had to be his imagination. Then why did it feel like he'd seen her somewhere before? How was it possible?

Warmth flooded in his face as he remembered her holding his hand. Yeah, that feeling, he'd never experienced it before. It made him think funny, feel funny, do crazy stuff-the way he felt confident that he would never ever act like in front of any girl, even if that was Iris, whom he secretly crushed upon. No, it was surreal.

Shaking his head, Rae Wyman ambled out of the kitchen. He'd spent way too much time dozing. He knew he should get out often but all these dreams-nightmares whatever they were, tired and drained him from energy to a point of exhaustion. Not very helpful for a very social life. Not that he had had it since after the exams.

He'd already decided to go to that law college where Drew went. Then Oxford? All of the guys were obsessed with politics in this house. The girls often teased them and called them lawyer dudes. That might sound like a compliment but it wasn't. Not really, after you realized what the internal secret joke was.

It wasn't pretty.

It was a bruise to male ego.

Sigh.

Rubbing the back of his head, Rae poked his head in the hallway. The light was fading from the windows as the sky outside darkened when the night came. The whole house was quiet-deserted. Guess he was alone then. Again.

Maybe he should call those lovely Indian cousins over and…

Rae had just entered the living room. He stopped in mid-tracks, his eyes going wide.

This couldn't be a dream.

Oh hell no…not again…

Blood splattered the matted floor, staining it with deep crimson. It was smeared across the white walls, almost like the graffiti he doodled in his textbooks. But this-this was disgusting. Gory. The metallic stench of blood hit him, and he made a face, his heart thudded and weird thoughts gibbering in his head.

Lila was back for him.

There was no other option. But…it had only been a nightmare, right? Lila didn't exist.

That meant…that meant…

Someone needed his help.

Someone had been…not murdered…he couldn't even begin to think that one of his friends…

He was rapidly scanning each room as he went, flinging open door after door. No one was there. Nothing.

Attic! The attic was left…

He almost ran his way up the ladder, lifted the trap door up, shouldering his way inside…

Dark silhouettes stood against the fading evening light in front of the only window in there. Figures Rae could not recognise.

"Hey!" he yelled.

Those figures wrenched apart-or as it seemed, one of them pushed the other one away. He heard a small moan. Fast breathing.

Breathless, Rae scrambled up and lunged for the light switch.

The light flooded the small, dingy attic, bathing what looked like a red sea in it.

And in the middle of it stood Drew, his clothes bloody. But Rae could tell that it wasn't his blood. He looked fine, even flushed. There was a wild look in his eyes. Dread filling him, Rae gulped, disbelieving, his eyes turning to take in the crumpled form at his feet which was the petite figure of someone with silky blond hair…

The vanilla blond hair that nobody else had in the house except for-

"Iris!"

Iris was dead.

Drew had killed her.

~You'd better hope and pray that you make it safe back to your own world.

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**Et voilà! **

**The lyrics come from 'Stay' by Shakespeare's Sister. I hate to leave cliffies, but I can't seem to avoid them. Sorry! **

**Of course, you guys can always review and tell me what you think of this chappie. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Danke, rezensent(in)!**

**Sorry this took so long! I've been up at 5am most days, and my brain's gone absolutely haywire. Thank you to the wonderful, fabulous angels of you who reviewed last time round - I loved hearing what you thought.**

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**Chapter Four: You again**

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It didn't seem as if he had a mouth anymore, because he had trouble speaking.

"I-Iris?" His jaw finally managed to get unlocked. Waves of shock pinned him to the floor. He tore his gaze away from the mess and up to its maker accusingly. "You killed her?"

"No I didn't, you ponce," Drew snapped, bending to her crumpled form and brushing the ethereal strands away from her pale face. "I overfed." He touched his fingers to the side of her throat, staunching the blood flow. The droplets of blood shone on his adroit fingers like rubies under the skylights.

"Well, excuse me," Rae shot back in an inimical, strangled voice. He slumped there on the wooden floor, running his hands through his hair shakily. "You didn't have to paint the whole house with it to prove that you're an arrogant bastard. She isn't your juice box."

"I got overzealous, you know how these sudden inspirations are," Drew said sardonically. Drew was an artist. A crazy one too. He got inspired very easily, and when he did, he disturbed the whole house by over-fussing and erratic. That was because his things, like his stash of paints were mostly found to be stolen or finished. To calm him down someone had to bang his head with a frying pan or a bat. That way, they'd get some peace and quiet. But when Drew got the artist's blocks, it was worse. You'd have to hit a crane at him to make him stop moaning about how useless he was-which was impossible because you can't really throw a crane at a Vampire. Especially a really pissed-off Redfern.

"But the last time I checked, you knew I belong to the list of America's most Wanted Criminal list and that I'm currently hiding from the Nightworld law here in this dull place you call a country. And she kinda asked for it." He skimmed his fingers lightly over Iris's inert face again, looking sheepish.

Rae kneaded his forehead. It wasn't that what Drew was made him feel disgusted or afraid-he'd known Drew way back since they were residing in the Diaper World. He'd had plenty of moments seeing his friend feed-and Drew was usually messy when he was upset. That was unsettling.

The worst part was that Drew did have a donor: an oblivious, busty, pretty faced girl from his college who had absolutely no idea that she was currently seeing to a Vampire's needs. But he wasn't very interested in her lately. He'd begun to complain that she tasted like rotten bananas which had nearly made Luther die from laughing. Even if Drew was messy, he was careful with his snacks. He liked them to last long. It didn't matter why he didn't like his donor anymore, but that he'd fed from Iris. That was most unsettling, because she was currently the only human living among them and didn't know what Nightworld was or what it meant to all of her friends. Or why her friends were so weird.

"Sod it," Rae muttered. "How're you going to explain those lovely puncture marks on her now, you bigot?"

"Who says I have to explain?" Drew shot back, angling her inert form so that it looked less dead and more sleeping. He wiped the blood with her own sweatshirt, which annoyed Rae for some reason. When Drew saw the pinched expression on his face, he added, drawling, "Oh relax, Saint of the universe. It was an accident. She'll be okay. She just tripped coming up here, after all."

Rae sighed. No matter what he did, Drew would never change. He was beginning to think that no one could bend him at all. Not even Feli. Everyone thought that his death sentence might reform him, but it didn't. Drew had been careless enough to create an entire army of vampires, had almost exposed himself to the world-maybe had, the woman who'd find him feeding in the park in broad daylight had fainted right after seeing the sight, they didn't know what she thought or told everyone. It was not only this, but that Drew had had been infatuated with one of the Nightworld lords' daughter and had killed her. Of course accidentally, and ironically with a wooden hair-pin he later claimed that he'd been trying to clasp in her hair.

Drew wasn't his actual name either, which wasn't a surprise. He'd needed to create another identity. It was easy, provided that his eye colour continuously shifted and sometimes his hair did too. It was one of the genes he'd received from his doyenne ancestress.

"Fine," Rae finally said. "If you insist. But I'm not covering for you this time, mate. This is your own grand bloody screw-up. And Iris's going to notice that horrendous blood stain." He swung the trap door open and slid down.

"Not," he heard Drew mutter.

The front door jittered as a key in its lock turned. Rae could hear voices. "And the females are home!" he shouted to Drew as he trudged away down the corridor.

Drew responded with a very colourful curse in response.

"I heard that!" Jaime's shrill voice came from the front door. She same inside, weighed down by what looked like the goods she'd stored for the end of the world. Feli followed, though she immediately went into her room without saying any hello. Typical.

"You can't complain," Rae pointed out as he passed her. "You _are_ a female."

Jaime smiled brilliantly. "Exactly! That's why we decided to follow our instincts."

"I never knew your species had 'em. I thought you were all brainless." Rae grinned, sprawling on the couch and lunging for the remote control before she could. They occasionally fought over it, but today she wasn't in the mood. She had other things on her mind. She didn't take the bait even.

"I went shopping, you dunce."

"Oh, spare me the gory details of your journey, fair lady. I do not think I am strong-hearted enough to bear the horror of sky-rocketing prices and the tragedy of never finding the matching outfit for going into the grocery store." He began flicking through the channels.

"With your money." She looked absolutely innocent as she said that.

"_What_?"

She dumped her bags onto the floor. "And I wanted to thank you for forgetting, brainless. You forgot what I promised to do if you secretly used my shampoo again."

"Aw man, I can't believe I forgot that."

"Qu'est-ce que tu veux que j'y fasse?"

"Go stuff your head in Drew's-"

"I heard that!" Drew's voice roared from over their heads. A moment later, his head appeared from the doorway, hair mussed and looking very, very short-tempered.

"Cet homme est _méchant_." Jaime rolled her eyes at the ceiling.

Drew looked at Rae. "Okay. You can tell the Frenchy pants to stuff her head in my whatever. Just don't disturb me." He disappeared again.

Jaime flopped down on the couch beside Rae and started to shuffle the assembly of her bags. Rae sniffed pointedly and flicked the channel.

"How much did you spend?" he asked. "Will I be able to survive?"

"Not much, Rae," Jaime said softly. "I only bought this…" She began to fumble through the plastic carrier bags, crinkling the shiny material. He watched bemusedly as she sought the purchase.

Feli's door opened. "Rae? Can I talk to you for a second?"

Rae sighed. "Of course."

Jaime held out a hand. "This is really important-," She started rummaging through the bags quicker. "I know I've got it somewhere…"

"It can wait, Jem," Feli said. Her voice sounded different. Thicker, rough with emotion. There was nothing changed in her face-it was as blank as a rock. Yet, he could see those colours twisting and blending into a swirl of feeling, a whirlpool of something alien. It struck Rae immediately with worry and he got up, carefully stepping over Jaime's strewn shopping and went to his friend. The only sane person in the house.

But still it didn't explain why Loopy had to sort out everyone else's problems.

::^^::

One slice of chilly wind against her skin, and she turned inward.

The last leaf of autumn, struggling against the harsh blows of winter alone, not knowing that it would die relentless. She was that leaf. She felt like that, felt herself ebbing away into the time.

Waking up had not been easier.

The memories were sharp flashes of her past that burned her eyes and slowed her mind. The autarchy of desperation inside her was still flourishing-to a point where the desideratum of his presence was like an ache to her heart.

She had been the youngest of the Six.

Her story had always begun like this, a daughter of the Chieftain, youngest and the most naïve of her sisters. She'd been born only a few months before her father's slaughter. By the time she had stepped into adolescence, the ways of her tribe had already changed. Now the laws bended according to Wóden's will, who held the Chieftain's shaft, an archaic spear and carried her father's aesthetic cape draped over his wide shoulders.

Then he-her soul-had been the son of a neighbouring enemy, the Sunnas. The tribe leader had been his mother, who was known across the chartered seas as Sigel, the Feared. The Sunnas had been more of a peaceful group, yet powerful. It was Wóden who'd wanted to seize their power.

He always boasted, debated and whined about them, it was obvious. One night, he did attack them, well equipped and well trained. He destroyed their hearth, their fields. She never understood why Wóden hated them so much. It was his hate due to which Ra, Sigel's only living son had been kidnapped.

She'd seen them take him into his prison. The cave had terrified her at first-it was gigantic, with a wide, misshapen mouth. Stalactites and Stalagmites had outlined it like a carnivore's teeth, ensuing darkness from its cold heart. The boy had been tall, flaxen-haired and-she couldn't help but notice-lean as a wolf. He'd been hit until he'd been unconscious on the first night. Ra had put up a fight, as he was a silent warrior's son. Oh, he'd struggled, but had lost.

Wóden had planned to starve him to death.

And she had to admit, the boy had fascinated her. She sat among the ripe fields of gold wheat as her sisters chatted, sang and bickered as they did their work. She spaced out occasionally, thinking of their prisoner and his attempts to escape.

A few days later, she'd mustered up the courage to meet the golden-haired stranger.

He'd been heavily guarded, so she'd slipped in cautiously.

At first she hadn't been able to see him. So she'd started to slowly make her way around the circumference of the cave, guided by the wall. He'd been slumped at the very end, against the wall, a limp figure sprawled on the pock-marked floor. She'd stood still as the moonlight crept into the cave from a hole overhead, bathing him. He…he'd been beautiful.

He'd also been recently wounded, because there had been a long cut that ran over his forehead, slowly oozing blood down the side of his face. It had dripped down past his jaw, down his neck and finally ending into a dark puddle beneath his head.

She remembered how her heart had lurched at the sound of his erratic breathing. She'd immediately knelt down. But before her hand had reached to staunch his bleeding, his eyes had opened. They'd been wide, afraid. He'd shut them when she'd reached out anyway, his breathing hitching.

"Don't," he'd breathed.

"Why?" her voice had been soft, a mere whisper-yet he'd winced.

"I'll die anyway," he'd answered.

He'd been right, of course.

But she hadn't listened to him. And then she'd pressed the cloth against the side of his face, decreasing the flow of blood. Then, suddenly, the whole world had gone haywire for a moment, where stars had filled her vision, melting and submerging into shapes and colours. It had been before she'd found out that she was in his mind. It had felt like the heaven heavens had clashed together. That was when she'd found out that he was a part of her. It had been the first time.

A first.

She'd helped him escape. But not only that, she'd escaped her tribe land herself, run away from her family with the boy who was her soul. They'd left for the mountains together, away from the grasslands where Wóden's tribe had dwelled. They'd been able to build a shelter in the forest. That was a place where it had all happened. They'd lived together, content with their new life.

Ra had died.

She did not remember how.

She shivered as she walked, wrapping this era's clothes tighter around herself. It was getting colder by the second, the sky threatening to pour any second. The wind was rising rapidly, flapping her long hair around her face. She kept on walking.

Her Kieran, Ra. He was in this world now, and she needed him. It had been a long time since he'd returned to her. The world was alive again, the connection sizzling with anticipation.

As the people walked pass her, they did glance at her. Not because she belonged to a different Time, no. It was the breath-taking beauty which had enveloped itself around her like a cocoon naturally. It was the grace that surrounded her as she walked. The people stared openly. She wasn't even aware of it before someone bumped into her hard.

"Oh, sor-," the guy said, clearly disgruntled. She stumbled, and he neatly caught her wrist to stabilize her. She looked up, startled, to see an amazed olive-toned face.

"-ry," he finished, letting her go. He cleared his throat. "I mean, I wasn't looking where I was going, you see. My stupid summer job's keeping me preoccupied-"

Summer? Was it summer? Why was she so cold inside then?

"Anyway, I'm sorry," the boy said again.

She nodded because she wasn't sure how to respond to this fast-speaking creature yet. Or maybe because it was his clothing that had distracted her-with all those squiggly little symbols writing over it in black, a grey circle drawn over the background.

He noticed.

"Ah. You probably think I'm strange, yes?" He groaned. "Merry meet. Circle Mist." He pointed at his shirt again and then looked at the pendant she was wearing. The symbols were the same. She'd forgotten she still wore it. Oh. That's why the circle seemed so familiar.

Yes. She knew them.A dark haired female stepped beside him. She had long silky black hair tied into a plait that ended past her waist.

"Bonding with strangers again, Luther?" she asked, her voice was rich as coco beans. "Oh, hello there. I'm so sorry about him. He tends to annoy every person in the world. So sorry."

"Oh, shut up, Maheen," Luther said. "I wasn't boring her. We're related."

Maheen raised her well-shaped eyebrows and looked over at her.

"Hi." She offered a smile. "Maheen Wisteria. Feonamski, Circle Mist. Merry meet, sister."

She knew this Circle because she'd been there when they'd created it.

She hadn't expected it to last among the others, but apparently it had.

"Maeve," she finally offered her name; her voice sounding rough with the lack of use for so long. Her heart was beating unsteadily. She didn't know them. The urge to run away was strong. Somehow, she managed to hold it in, thinking that they'd just…go away. She was afraid.

"Nice to meet you, May," Luther grinned. "We were just going to go grab some coffee. Wanna come along?"

Or maybe not. They were entirely too friendly, even when they didn't know who she was. For some reason, it made her turn even more inward. She didn't want to know these people.

Maeve fidgeted, not sure. "Uh…"

"Come on," he insisted, taking her hand before she could finish her sentence. "Why not?"

"Luther," Maheen warned.

"Oh," Luther dropped her hand again, flushing slightly. "I'm sorry. Well. See you around anyway."

Maheen steered him way. Maeve could hear them conversating in low voices and they walked away. Taking her chance, she began to walk again, wondering whether all of the humans in this Time were alike.

She kept on walking, taking in the mesmerizing details. The structure of the buildings had changed: they were built higher, bigger and thicker now. The roofs were solid. Even the ground was solid beneath her worn shoes. The lanterns had been replaced by long candle-like objects planted at regular intervals on the hard ground. They weren't even made up of wax.

_Lampposts, _ she caught the word from a passerby's mind, like she caught the words _road, streets, cars, buses, overcoat, cell-phones…_She caught words that sometimes didn't even had a picture to begin with. She didn't know any of these bizarre objects. It was very confusing-it made her head hurt, so she stopped hearing. She was riddled with this century's…technology, amazed with the Man's dexterity.

It had started to rain now. The drops splattered at her feet, at her long dress, causing her to look up at the dark watery sky. It flashed with lightning as she watching, never flinching. Thunder boomed a mere second later. Still, no body was afraid. Most of them simply pulled out circular shelter and shielded their heads from the water and kept going. The others hurried on.

She walked the slowest of them all, eventually letting the rain soak through her dress and plaster her long pale hair flat on her head. Not that she cared, because she was still hypnotized. The world even sounded different with rain now; the variety of sounds had increased in the storm. Some, she couldn't even describe.

Suddenly, a door right in front of her opened, nearly hitting her as it did so, with a strange chime.

Then a boy ran out, colliding with her so hard that he knocked her backwards across the path and sprawled beside her. The impact of the collision sent her reeling. She saw red. Then black. Then a faint, heavy, oily scent that used to linger on her skin. Not anymore though.

Not only did that happen, during the fall, she'd grabbed the boy in order to stop it. Her hands had wrapped around his arm, her skin on his. The worlds were sent clashing together until it made no sense.

She nearly screamed, she could not see. The pain, lanced with recognition was familiar, but too intense. It had never been intense. It cut right through her soul. She was being rained upon by sharp icicles, which tore at her flesh.

It occurred for only a couple of seconds, but felt like years.

When it ended, she was gazing dazedly through the pinkish aftereffects at the boy who'd nearly fallen in order to crack her skull open. He was staring at her with equal disbelief.

She'd found him.

He looked so much like the last time, that it hurt her. He still had that gold hair, slightly curling, those deep blue-green eyes. She opened her mouth to tell him that, she'd waited for him every day, that how much she'd missed his presence. But he beat her to it.

His voice was like a whip in the air.

"Lila?"

::^!^::

_~the Seasons come and go_

_I will never change_

_I'm on my way..._

* * *

**I hope this makes it up for the long wait. Review now! **


	5. Important AN Must read

**Hey, y'all. Uh...Anyone...out there? Hello? I'm so so SO sorry that I haven't updated for about, TWO years, yeah? I've been so busy...moving, college, moving...I know I've probably scared you guys away through my hiatus...I'm really sorry about that! Anyway, I've decided that it's about time that I had my own characters to write about. :/ I've started this new story:**

**His Evil Cinderella  
**

**Can it be possible that Rae Wyman really was once Prince Charming and that his Cinderella turned evil and killed him? His strange nightmares worry him more and more. He just wanted to have a normal college life. What if...his Cinderella was resurrected? More importantly, why does this nagging feeling tell him that somehow the history is going to be repeated?**

**It's basically a more polished, BETTER, edited version of my old story, Rosa Obscura. Please check it out. That is, if you've not abandoned me. Pleeease?  
**

**I won't be posting much here anymore. At least, I don't think so. Not in the immediate future. I'll be working on HEC. Cheers. Here's the link:  
**

** story/2012008-his-evil-cinderella**

**Thank you so much for reviewing my (really badly written) stories, guys. It meant a lot to me.  
**

**XOXO,  
**

**~Midnight.  
**


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